Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
The Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park is open grassland and a dry prairie offering clear blue skies, excellent bird watching, and a comfortable private retreat for RV camping. This State Park is recommended for its night sky views and star gazing due to its lack of light pollution. You can step outside at night and see the Milky Way! This preserve protects one of the largest and last remaining stretches of Florida dry prairies.
Photo credit Michele Janko on floridastateparks.org
Bicycling
Don’t forget to bring your bicycle with you as there are hard shell roads available as well as 100 miles of trails for off-road bicycling. These roads are also shared with hikers and horseback riders. If you happen to forget a bike or a helmet, they are available for rent at the Preserve Office.
Bird Watching & Wildlife Viewing
This State Park is a birdwatcher’s paradise as it is home to six endangered species of bird. During your stay, you should keep an eye out for the Burrowing Owl, Crested Caracara, Wood Stork, and the elusive White-Tail Kite. The park offers ranger-led tours in buggies to see remote areas of the park. These tours last between 2 and 3 hours and are great opportunities to see more of the prairie wildlife that may be more harder to find near the trails and bike paths.
Equestrian
Equestrian camping is available at the State Park with electricity and water at each campsite. A paddock is provided at each site as well. The trails are all open for horseback riders to enjoy.
Hiking
The grasslands of the State Park are a unique hiking experience in Florida. There is a huge variety of wildlife that calls the grasslands home, including deer, snakes, wild turkeys, and many different bird species. Hiking trails will take you through open fields of grasslands and meadows of wildflowers.
Star Gazing
This State Park is renowned for its star gazing as it is so far removed from urban and suburban light pollution. It was recognized in 2016 as one of Florida’s first Dark Sky Parks. Check with the Preserve Office for an explanation of what you could see in the night sky each evening. They can offer you a sky map of any planets, stars, or even the International Space Station that may be making its orbit during your stay. Please note that the entrance is closed daily 15 minutes after sunset. Only registered campers or after hours pass holders are allowed entry after dark.
Photo credit floridastateparks.org
RV Camping
You can camp in the comfort of your RV at the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park surrounded by 54,000 acres of Florida prairie. Water and electricity are available at all campsites along with accessible restrooms, showers, and laundry. All restroom facilities are ADA accessible. Water stations are located centrally for all campsites to use and trails are located nearby to explore. Picnic tables can be found near the park entrance and near the park office for use. Well behaved pets are encouraged to come and stay at the State Park as well! This campsite and park are not very close to gas stations or a grocery store. Many visitors appreciate this park for its remoteness and the quiet and comfort it offers. Visitors do recommend bringing all supplies for your stay at the park as there is not convenient shopping nearby.
For more information, visit the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park homepage on floridastateparks.org or call 863.462.5360.
